With a young but experienced group returning to the field, the Belding softball team is looking forward to another solid season this spring.

The Redskins have one senior on the squad in Caitlin Alkire, but junior captains Hannah Linebaugh and Rachel Hunt both return for their third seasons on the varsity squad.

"There's a lot of excitement heading into the season," Belding coach Mikayla Linebaugh said. "We've got a lot of young kids and one senior, and that's how you build a program. We will have some leadership with kids that have been with us for three years in Hannah, Rachel and Caitlin, and Mariah (Heintzelman), Autumn (Thome), Makayla (Boss) and Kaitlyn Lieffers all return, so we have a lot of girls coming back. They have experienced a lot of winning over the last few years, so they have set the bar high this season."

Along with the returning veterans, the Redskins also have gained experience through a pair of transfer students in Bailey Roberts and Alyssa Canterbury.

Roberts was a catcher last season in Lowell, but Mikayla Linebaugh said she can play multiple positions, while Canterbury, who transferred from Greenville, will primarily be used as a pitcher.

Along with the returnees and new transfers, the Redskins also have a group of freshman coming in that the coaches and players think could contribute right away.

"We've got a lot of young talent and the new girls from different schools, so I think we have a lot of potential for another solid season," Hunt said.

After years of success, the Redskins have proven to be one of the top teams in the Ottawa-Kent Blue Conference. Hannah Linebaugh said despite being on everyone's radar, she is optimistic about the 2013 season.

"I think we have a target on our back because we have been good for the past three or four years," she said. "I expect that we are going to be good again (this season) and I think we can meet our expectations. We have a lot of young players coming up, but they know what is expected of them and they know the game well. We also have a lot of returning players that have been here and won regionals and they know how we practice and how we play."

The O-K Blue will have a bit of a different look this season with Cedar Springs, West Catholic and Forest Hills Northern having moved to the Bronze division, but with the joining of Wyoming Park and Rogers, Mikayla Linebaugh said Wyoming High School brings a great deal of talent into the division.

"I think (Wyoming) is going to be good," she said. "Both programs were good on their own, but then you combine them and they get the pick of the litter. I heard they had 60 kids come out this year and a pitcher transfer in. It still kind of blows my mind that they are still in our league with how big of a school they are, but it is what it is and you've just got to go with it."

Page 2 of 2 - Coopersville, who has been one of the top teams in the Blue the last few seasons, is expected to be competing atop the league standings again this year.

Along with the anticipation of the new season, the Redskins have an extra splash of excitement as opening day nears. On March 26 Belding will open its new field against archrival Greenville.

The softball stadium was built as part of the high school renovation project that began in 2011.

"I can't wait to get on the new field and throw the first pitch and just get things going outside," Mikayla Linebaugh said. "Of course the weather has to cooperate."